Hummus, Sushi and Sharing
SAWA IS A UNIQUE AND DELIGHTFUL DUAL CONCEPT DINING EXPERIENCE
If it’s not summer you should sit outside in the central courtyard of the Shops of Merrick Park
He comes from Beirut and she comes from Osaka. On weekends they both get homesick for their mom’s cooking. So where do they go? To Sawa, of course, a restaurant somewhere on the Lebanese/Japanese border in Coral Gables, where they serve food from both nations.
Sawa is not fusion dining, but dual dining, with a menu split between traditional Lebanese food and modern Japanese tastes. It is also a dual dining in the physical sense, where you can sit inside or out. While the interior is elegantly appointed, if it’s not summer you should sit outside; the central courtyard of the Shops of Merrick Park is a cross between a village green and a college campus quad. At night it is decided lovely, with tall Royal Palms lit from below. Sawa adds a special touch with flaming torches.
The ambiance is both romantic and exotic. It is a fine setting for a large selection of interesting dishes that range from naan flatbreads, vegetarian tapas and kebabs to sushi rolls, sashimi, and seafood tapas. The menu is vast.
“There is literally something for everyone here, for meat eaters, vegans or sushi lovers. That’s why we get a lot of families,” says Melissa Bolieu, general manager at Sawa since it opened in 2010. “It’s also a culinary love story, where East meets Middle East.”
Kibbe
During a recent visit, we tried dishes from both sides of the aisle. On the Middle Eastern end, we sampled their hummus and baba ganough. Both made fresh daily by Lebanese chef Roger Zakkour. Delightfully savory, enough to turn you into a vegan. Our waiter, Scott, also recommended the kibbe, a Lebanese national dish that’s like a dumpling made of bulgar, minced onions, and finely ground beef and lamb. Very tasty, and a worthy part of their Lebanese Sampler.
From the same region – and from the entrée column – we tried their moussaka. This is like a Middle Eastern lasagna, except with a creamy potato béchamel on top instead of pasta, and with spiced angus ground beef and eggplant underneath, suffused with a tomato basil sauce. If this is Lebanese comfort food, give us more.
Sawa Lamb Lollipops
What really knocked our socks off, however, were the lamb lollipops, lamb chops dressed in a jalapeño mint demi glaze, one of their “meat tapas.” Several of our party swore it was the best lamb dish they’d ever eaten.
On the Japanese side (and for these dishes they have a second chef, who goes only by the name ‘Iqbal’) we tried a couple of their signature rolls. I am by nature not a sushi fan, but these changed my mind. We tried the Merrick Park, consisting of lobster tempura, cream cheese, avocado, scallions and eel sauce. Superb, and only topped by a second roll called the Atlantic, with combined blue crab tempura with Norwegian smoked salmon, scallions, cream cheese and wasabi mayo. Just outstanding.
Sushi of lobster tempura, cream cheese, avocado, scallions and eel sauce
Not to be understated are two other Sawa strong suits: Their artisanal cocktails and their desserts. We tried their Miami Cooler, a blend of Meyers rum, tropical juices and orange bitters. Like drinking a summer afternoon. And we tried their chocolate nutellantini cocktail, a ‘dessert martini’ that was, well, like drinking dessert. Delicious. Speaking of which, nobody does baklava like Sawa, that traditional Middle East pastry stuffed with honey soaked pistachios. And from the other side of the aisle we tried the Thai donuts, with condensed milk and shredded pastry. Amazing.
Sawa Artisan Cocktails
In addition to the food is another treat – a belly dancer who appears at 8 pm and 10 pm on Friday and Saturday nights. A crowd favorite. “It’s been wildly popular since day one, an ‘eatertainment’ concept. It’s like dinner and a show,” says Bolieu. Dance on, Sawa.
Sawa
360 San Lorenzo Ave.
The Shops at Merrick Park
305.447.6555
